


Don't Worry, I'm Here

by thatmavin



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-22
Updated: 2014-03-11
Packaged: 2018-01-02 07:55:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1054344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatmavin/pseuds/thatmavin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A perfect life isn't always beautiful, easy or guaranteed.<br/>Amazingly through laughter, family, heartache and the best friends on the planet, Michael finds his perfect life.<br/>He finds it amongst a sea of honey colored light and in the center of forest green eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sue Returns

**Author's Note:**

> Based off this prompt: Baby AU? But Gavin is the baby and Michael is the Dad? Is that weird? I love you if you do it! PS: not trying to be greedy, but could the story have a little bit of background on the woman that Michael raises the kid with? i don't want like a "stock" nameless person. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE?! I LOVE YOU!!
> 
>  
> 
> I followed the prompt. However: 
> 
> * Michael’s not the biological father, I didn’t want him related to Gavin by blood
> 
> * Gavin isn’t born until the 2nd part because the first part is mostly background (as requested) 
> 
> *I’ve already written the first three parts so those will be out soon!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael has been in love with the girl next door, Susan Free since they were kids. When she suddenly has to leave and go back to the UK, Michael is sure she’ll never be back to stay. However, years later, she comes to live with Michael under pressing circumstances ...she’s not alone. She’s pregnant with a little boy who she plans to call: Gavin Free.

Michael’s phone rang loudly from the bedroom.

“Shit.” He hopped out of the shower, trailing water along the floor from the bathroom. Michael read the caller ID, his mouth hung open as he removed his phone from the nightstand. “Hello?” 

“Michael.” Susan’s voice sounded swallowed up by background noise, a rushing sound of motion mixed with the radio. “Can you hear me?” 

“Kinda, yeah. Where are you?” He sat on the side of the bed, not caring that he was still dripping with water.

“Texas.” She responded. 

“You’re what?” He was surprised. “You came all the way here from the UK to visit me?” 

“No, well yes. Well...he left me.” She said, 'he' referring to her asshole boyfriend.

“Oh, well good. Fuck him. You want me to come pick you up?” Michael starts pulling on whatever clothes he can find. 

“No, I’ve got a taxi. I’ll be at your place soon, actually. I hope you don’t mind. I’m...I’m really excited to see you.” She says, sounding happy.

“I mean...you didn’t give me a heads up so the place will be as is. I don’t really want to run around cleaning for five minutes then feel shitty when I don’t finish so...” Michael said a bit embarrassed, he laughs nervously. He wonders if she’s hear for good or not.

“Oh shut up! When have I ever bloody gave a damn about tidiness?” 

“Well...ya know. Maybe you started when you grew up. Oh hey, maybe we can-”

“Oh, and Michael...”

“Hm?” He asked, enjoying the way her English accent shapes words just like always, especially his name. 

“I’m pregnant.” She says. Michael's heart goes still for a moment. 

“What?” 

“He kicked me out, I’m pregnant, and I have no where to go. I won’t need to stay with you long, I can afford a place with Dad’s money he left me. I just have a bit of trouble getting things worked out, money transfers and...I just...I won’t be a bother. I promise.”

“You could never bother me. Do you understand?” Michael asked in a serious tone. 

“I do...thank you, Michael.” 

Susan arrived at Michael’s house forty-five minutes later, with nothing but one suitcase. When the Taxi left and she arrived at his doorstep that summer night, she didn’t look any different from when he first met her. 

Susan had moved in next door to Michael when they were children. They soon grew very close to one another. She was a bit older than Michael, and he always looked up to her. Sue loved to go on adventures, bringing little Michael along, teaching him many things about the world and the people living on it. He would be lying if he said he hadn’t had a bit of a crush on her growing up. He was so enticed by her constant curiosity, large green eyes and sea of golden hair that cascaded down her back. Also, her accent was fucking amazing, if he did say so himself. The way she spoke sent his heart racing every time. He suppressed his feelings though when they became teens. Besides, she would always go for guys that Michael felt weren’t right for her so he knew he’d have no chance. 

One moment Michael will never forget though, was when her boyfriend at the time ditched her before prom. Susan was a senior and Michael was a freshman. She asked Michael to be her date. They danced together all night and Sue let him kiss her, she kissed back though she had mixed feelings about it. Their friendship was on an awkward pause for about a week, then things carried on like nothing had happened. However, the memory of their kiss kept them both awake at night. 

While Michael was mustering up courage to ask her to be with him, suddenly, Susan’s mother...her health took a turn for the worse. Her mother, the only person she was living with. When she passed away from a mysterious disease...Sue had no other family in The States. She was old enough to stay on her own by now, but she wasn’t sure what steps to take and was too overwhelmed to take that responsibility on. It pained them both, but they agreed Sue should go live with her family back in the UK to the only other family member she knew of, her father. 

Michael never asked her to be with him, and their friendship remained mostly long distance. Sometimes they’d visit each other when they could. Ten years of this went by. Susan’s father passed away during this time, the only other family she knew. Feeing completely abandoned, during these years, she sought comfort in relationships that never seemed to last. When all the thrill of strange men and long nights ran out, Susan finally arrived in the US to stay again. This time she was pregnant and only wanted Michael’s company. It’s not how he’d imagined it, but she was finally back and safe, he couldn’t be happier. 

It was like nothing had changed. He woke up to Sue crawling under the blankets, making her way up his body, tickling him until he was awake. They’d eat breakfast together everyday, shower separately, and sometimes together. Nothing sexual ever happened between them. Michael didn’t mind. He loved the way that Sue’s hands would massage shampoo in the red spirals on top of his head. Susan would make eye contact with Michael the entire time. They didn’t use words. Instead, they’d stare into each other’s eyes, letting the emotions within their gaze speak for them. Sometimes telling their whole life stories with silent sentences. After the shower they’d find something to fill their days before sitting on the couch watching their old favorite movies while sharing ice cream. It sounds cheesy, but Michael couldn’t describe how much it meant to him. He took as much paid time off from work as he could to spend time with Sue, but soon he returned, non-stop talking about the amazing things going on in his life. Of course, mostly about Sue. He’d spoken of her before to the guys, but all of these new developments kept them interested and strayed them from teasing. One of the developments being that she was expecting a baby. Michael had been to a few doctor’s appointments with her to see the ultrasounds. Even though he’d seen the baby and heard it’s heartbeat, he still couldn’t imagine a little person inside of a person. It was like human inception. 

Though the whole process blew his mind, Michael liked watching her change along with her pregnancy. When she started having cravings, usually for chocolate covered strawberries. That, or french fries with vinegar, which she called “chips with vin”. Susan liked it best when Michael dipped the strawberries himself. Often times, Sue found herself standing behind Michael, resting her head against or between his shoulder blades and wrapping her arms around his waist as he made the treat for her. As her stomach swelled with pregnancy, he could feel it press against his back. Her pregnancy was only four months along, but her belly was already beginning to take a bit of a spheric shape. Michael was trying not to act like it, but he was absolutely fascinated by it, and slightly jealous that his body would never be able to do something like that. However, the blissful days came to a stop with Sue, like they always seemed to. She suddenly announced that she was moving. It was completely out of the blue.

“I’m moving.” Susan says while Michael grabbed two spoons from the kitchen drawer for their ice cream. 

“Oh?” He asks, not wanting to sound fucking crushed, caught off guard, hurt...

“Yeah, tomorrow. Can you help?” She held her hand on her stomach. 

“Obviously. Why wouldn’t I? You’re not supposed to lift heavy things anyway.” He pet the top of her head. She crinkled her nose.

“I’m not a child.”

“Then why do I take care of you all the time?” He teased. She grinned up at him, taking the spoons and setting them down on the counter. 

“What are you doing?” He rose an eyebrow at her. 

“I feel like a whale.” The expecting mother complained, holding both his hands.

“You look beautiful!” Michael looked in her eyes seriously, scolding her a bit for thinking any less of herself. 

“You just have to say that because you’re my best friend.” She teased him. Susan rubs Michael’s hands over her small pregnant belly. The action was simple, but so beautiful it caused his legs to shake. “God-Daddy Michael is a good man, he’s going to love you so much, baby.” 

Things seemed to finally have a smooth course in Susan’s life. She moved into a small home, only thirty minutes away from where Michael lived, and about the same distance from the Rooster Teeth headquarters where he worked. He would come to see her after he got off work, and use his lunch breaks to attend any appointments she had for the baby. Michael felt like he saw her everyday, which he had been until things got heavy at work. Maybe Michael hadn’t noticed the time passing because of his fraying schedule, but he hadn’t seen Susan in two weeks. He’d text her whenever he thought of her and apologize for being busy. Of course she said she hadn’t minded, and update him on the baby’s progress. 

At the end of the Susan-less two weeks, he received a call from her while he was at work. 

“Hey lady with a baby.” Michael greeted her in a bright tone, excited to be talking to her. 

“Michael.” She responded, with a lot less energy than he presented. 

“Something wrong?” He asked, settling down in his computer chair, aimlessly clicking at icons on the screen. 

“Can you come pick me up from the hospital?” 

“Hosp-”

“I know your lunch break isn’t until noon.” She cut him off in an apologetic tone. Michael glanced at the clock, sure enough it was only 10am. 

“I don’t mind coming to get you.” He rose to pull on his light fall cardigan. 

“No, it’s fine. I have a book. I can sit for a while.” 

“I mean...alright. How was your appointment?” Michael sat back in his seat. All the other men were currently not in the room, but Ray stuck around to play Pokemon. Sensing a worried tone in Michael’s voice, Ray glanced up from his DS at his friend.

“I’m sick.” Susan responded. Michael wasn’t sure what to say so he remained quiet. “My mother...she had the same thing. The baby is alright though, don’t worry.” Michael felt guilt swim in his stomach as he suddenly worried more for Sue’s well being instead of the baby’s. “Hello, Michael? Are you there?”


	2. Free Birds Fly, Caged Ones Don't

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The baby is finally born and soon after, things go back to normal. Michael is getting his old Sue back, the one with color in her cheeks and light in her eyes. But like all things with Susan...what goes up must come down. Everything comes crashing down around Michael and he's standing in the middle of the wreckage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally JUST finished this 'rereading' this chapter so I probably missed a million...MILLION mistakes so I am soooo sorry. Please don't judge me, but I'll probably be editing this as we speak, so don't even worry about it, haha! Thanks so so much for reading. 
> 
> Also, I know this story seems really sad right now, but it's going to be a happy story, ok? Ok!  
> Thanks again guys, I love you <3

Sue had been living with the illness throughout her pregnancy. At first, Michael couldn’t notice any difference in her, other than dark circles under her eyes. He had thought that they were from her lack of sleep due to her nearly constant nausea, but really it was the fact that her body was self destructing very slowly. Over the months, she became thinner and thinner, instead of fuller during her pregnancy. Instead of a harmonious glow leaving her paper thin skin, a lusterless grey had met her form. The life was mostly found in her summer green eyes. Towards the end of her pregnancy, about the eighth month, the hospital had Sue come in, and remain on constant bed-rest and gave her an IV. 

Of course, Michael still came to visit everyday afterwork. He even spent his weekends on a cot that the hospital provided for him each time. When he would walk into the room, he could see Sue’s outline underneath the sheets of the bed, bones jetting out in angles. At this point, he couldn’t tell if Sue really had an illness or if it was because the baby was sucking all of her nutrients from her. Every time he saw her, she would become more and more frail, yet her stomach would become larger. He just wanted them to take the baby out of her, so she could return to normal. Everything was fine before she became pregnant. Michael grimaced when he saw her stomach twitch from the kicks coming from inside. Whatever it was that was in her belly, it was killing her, Michael was sure of it. Susan’s mother had the same ailment and she didn’t become this bad this quickly without pregnancy, the baby was doing this. He felt guilty for blaming the baby…but…the doctors told her that if she terminated the pregnancy, she would have a much higher chance of surviving this longer. She refused and said the baby had a whole life on it’s own, and she wouldn’t be the one to take that away. Whatever she decided, Michael would’ve been by her side, and he was. He just hoped that Sue would be alright.

One weekend in particular, Susan just couldn’t sleep. She told Michael it was fine to head to bed so he crawled onto his cot and quickly fell asleep. However, an hour later, Michael woke up to the sounds of Susan gasping for air as she tried to pull herself into a seated position. He bolted onto his feet. 

“Sue?” He rushed to her side. “Susie?” He stroked her hair and pushed the emergency button on Susan’s bed side. “It’s gonna be ok, the doctors and nurses will be here soon.” 

“My back.” She choked out. “It hurts so badly.” She reached a thin arm behind her to rub her spine. 

“Here, lemme do it.” He moved her hand away and rubbed against her back gently, feeling as if he massaged to hard her frail frame would snap in half. “Take deep breaths okay? I think you’re having back labor, I read online that-”

“You did research? Haha, nerd.” She replied breathlessly. 

“Shut up, I had to. I was curious. But I think you’re…going to give birth soon? I don’t know how this works. Isn’t your water supposed to break? Are you swimming under there?” He peeked under the blanket and saw no fluids. Susan giggled pushed the blanket back down, a bit of color brushed her cheeks. Michael made eye contact with her, seeing the painful expression on his face brought him back into reality. Here they were joking, but Sue was dying and he knew it. He growled through gritted teeth as he headed towards the door. 

“Michael?” Sue’s brow furrowed. “Please don’t get upset with them. I’m sure they’re all busy. It’s the middle of the night and-”

“No, we pushed the fucking  _emergency_  button. They should be hauling ass in here trying to save your life!” 

“But-” 

The door closed behind Michael and he headed to the desk out in the hall, no one was there. What the hell? Is this a dream or something? This all feels like a very bad dream. The hospital was completely quiet, and no one was around. It was like the entire place was a hollow shell and there were no other people but Sue and himself. Michael walked up to the desk and of course there weren’t any notes or anything.

“Michael!” Sue yelled from the room. He turned on his heels and quickly ran back to her.

“What’s going on? Are you ok?”

“Yeah, no…maybe? I think my water broke…” She replied softly, a small scared breathy voice.

“What do we-”

“I want to push.” 

“What?” Michael’s eyes went huge.

“I  _need_  to push. This baby is coming  **now**.”

“Well try and stop it! I’m not a doctor! I don’t know what to do!” Michael threw his hands in the air. 

“Michael!” Sue yelled, holding her stomach, squeezing her eyes shut tight. 

“You’re pushing? Yep, you’re pushing. Great! Where the  _fuck_  is the doctor?” He put his hands on his face and tried to take deep breaths. Sue laid her head back on the pillow after another push, her eyes catching the call pad. The maid service button was lit up, not the emergency one. 

“You  _idiot_!” She yelled. 

“What?”

“No way! You pushed the wrong button!” With her index finger, she pointed to the emergency button, pushing it herself.

“Oh fuck…haha!” Michael bent forward, laughing. 

“I could’ve been dead!” Sue let out a large sigh of relief, laughing too.

“Well, damn…” Michael holds his face in his hands. 

“Wow. I could’ve…wow.” Sue replied, grimacing as another pain shot through her spine. Within another minute, a nurse ran in, followed by two other nurses and a doctor. 

Quickly assessing Sue, they set her up to deliver. Because of her illness, they were hesitant about giving her an epidural, the stuff that numbs contractions and labor pains. It was alright, because she didn’t want them anyway. Michael watched everything the doctors did carefully, helping any way he could. Reminding Sue to breathe, holding her hand, and planting kisses to her forehead. When they asked if there was any family to be called, Susan’s eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. 

Everything else was a blur of Susan groaning with pain and the doctors counting down each of her breaths. Before Michael even knew what was happening, the doctors cheer ‘It’s a boy!’, and lay a baby on her chest. Michael’s eyes lock onto the bright pink, screaming infant. It’s cry sounds like it’s under water as the doctor clear the fluids from it’s nose and mouth with a tiny suction tool. There are times in life when…things are so perfect, that time stops. For a moment, as the doctors and nurses quickly cleaned, weighed, and measured him…everything stopped. Something inside Michael stopped moving inside him, all of the worry about Sue, the worry about the baby stopped. Everything had a chance to go back to normal now. 

A nurse returned, carrying the little bundle in her arms, smiling genuinely at the two of them. 

“He’s perfect.” She stood in front of Michael. 

“Oh, thank y-”

“Congratulations.” She held the baby out to him. 

“Thank you.” He nervously took the infant in his arms. He felt his eyes tear up. “Sue, he’s perfect.” His voice cracked as he spoke, for the first time since the baby arrived, looking at her. His lips parted in shock when he saw an oxygen mask on her face. The mask fogged up as she exhaled. “What happened? Are you ok?” 

“Yeah.” She nodded. “I’m just really,  _really_  tired.” She responded, leaning her head to the side as Michael’s expression turned concerned quickly. “I’m fine, Michael. You’d be tired too if you just pushed another human out of you.” They laughed. Susan’s eyes became gentler when she looked at the baby in Michael’s arms. “You two look perfect together already. How is he? Let me see his face. 

“He’s perfect.” Michael looked at the baby’s round cheeks and small lips. Michael pulled up his chair to the bed and turned the baby so Sue could see. “Do you want to hold him?” 

“No, no. Not now. I will have time for that soon. I just really feel like I’m going to faint. I need some juice or some crackers. I think it’s because I haven’t really been eating.” Susan yawned and looked at her baby. “I did a fine job, I’d say.” She extended a hand and brushed her finger tips over the baby’s face. The baby’s eyes opened briefly then quickly closed back. Sue smiled fondly at him and then looked up at Michael. 

“What are you going to name him?” Michael looked at her. 

“I’ve already thought about it. He’s going to be called ‘Gavin’. It means: white hawk.” 

“White hawk?” 

“Yeah, it’s a cute name. Besides, if his name is ‘white hawk’, then that means he’s a bird. And free birds fly, caged birds don’t. Get it?”

“Gavin Free = free bird, gotcha.” Michael nods. 

“I thought it was pretty bloody clever myself.” Susan chuckles softly. “I kind of feel like I should be more excited, you know? But, really…I’m just glad it’s over.”

“Me too.” Michael admits. “This whole time I was worried that this pregnancy would be the end of you.” He looks down, Sue puts her hand on his knee. 

“Hey, a new life never means the end of anything. Even if I’d died, there’d be a beginning. Not an end, okay?”

“I was just so worried.” Michael feels his eyes brim with tears again. 

“Hey…” Sue’s brow furrows. Michael’s lower lip trembles. “Come here.” She reaches her hand up to him. He leans forward, holding the baby to him. With a gentle tug, she’s pulls the oxygen mask from her face and kisses Michael’s gently. “I love you.” She murmurs against his lips. Michael doesn’t know what the kiss means, or if it means anything at all. But still, in the haze of all of the perfect, it wouldn’t matter either way. The words leave his heart and then his lips as he responds to her.

“I’ve always loved you, Susan Free.”  

 

As Michael had hoped, after a week in the hospital since giving birth, Susan was already doing so much better. Able to walk around, not restricted to the bed anymore, sometimes when Michael would visit, they’d walk around the halls hand in hand. There was a cafe on the first floor, sometimes they’d eat there together. Usually though, they stayed in the room, and Sue would attempt to breast feed. Becoming frustrated, both she and the baby, would end up settling for bottle feeding, which became the method of feeding for Gavin. Sue was very disappointed by this, but a bit thrilled that this meant there was more Michael could help with.

After another week in the hospital, the doctors said that there was no real reason she should stay, so they dismissed her on the condition that she came in once every two weeks. This development allowed Michael the peace of mind to return to work during the days, of course he hurried to her home to visit her everyday after work. The guys even came over sometimes to see Gavin. They all were extremely fond of him, and considered he and Susan parts of the family. 

Sometimes, Michael, Sue and Gavin would do things together that the two used to do on their own. Like stay up watching movies together with their ice cream, make chocolate covered strawberries in the kitchen. Michael and Sue were so happy together. He didn’t know if they were ‘dating’ or if all of these things were small coincidences, but sometimes when they’d kiss, Michael could feel electricity between them. The three of them just felt like a family, and it worked.

But, at the end of Gavin’s first month home…problems began again. Susan had issues keeping her food down and would often become dehydrated. Michael noticed the grey returning to her skin, he knew something was very wrong. He cursed aloud when she told him that the illness had begun it’s second vicious attack on her body. He didn’t understand, everything had been going so well. Why was this happening? Sue had been strong enough to fight it the first time, he knew she  _had_  to be that strong to fight it again this time. Michael barely got any sleep and had trouble keeping his eyes open at work. He was constantly expressing to the guys in the Achievement Hunter office his worry for his best friend. They were all so supportive, Michael was glad he had them to turn to. Two weeks had gone by since it had been confirmed that Sue was sick again, very sick. This time, the disease took it’s reign on her body quickly, she became frailer and weaker this time in the matter of days. Geoff’s wife, Griffon, agreed to stay with sometimes when she felt too ill to watch Gavin on her own. 

One Monday after work like always, Michael came to Sue to see how she was doing. He didn’t see Griffon’s car outside, so he knew Sue was alone. He rang the doorbell, and could hear her coughing from inside. He waited for her to unlock the door.

“In the mailbox, Michael.” She called weakly. 

“Oh, right. Sorry!” He responded, remembering she was probably too sick to come to the door, so she’d left a key for the visitors. Digging into the mailbox, he found the key and let himself in. He entered the home, pocketing the key and closing the door behind himself. 

“Hey.” He greeted her, kissing her forehead gently. Her skin felt like ice beneath his lips. 

“How was-” Susan began but was cut off by her coughs. They sounded painful enough to make Michael cringe. “How was work?” She asks, smiling. Her English accent sounded familiar and happy, enough to make him not want to worry, but he couldn’t ignore her appearance. Michael frowned. Susan’s long blonde hair had lost it’s golden glow, and her gentle green eyes still retained their life, but there was something sad in them today. 

“Fine.” He sat on the couch next to her, taking one of her hands. 

“You want tea?” She tilted her head to the side. 

“I’m not going to make you get up to do that.” He shook his head. 

“You know how to boil water, you twat.” She giggled. 

“Tea always tastes better when you do it.” Michael shrugs. 

“Well,” She pats his hand with her free one. “Fine then, no tea.” 

Sue shivered as she caught a chill, without her asking, Michael knew what she wanted. He covered her with the blanket that she’d made with her mother, many years ago before she passed away with the similar disease that Sue has now. 

“Why don’t we get you upstairs?” He asks. 

“That’d be lovely, actually. I can make it upstairs fine. Will you carry Gavin?” 

She turned to him, pointing to the basinet near the couch. He nodded. “Thank you so much, Michael.” 

“Don’t thank me. Sue, I am happy to be here with you two.” Michael responds as he lifts the baby into his arms. He cradles the infant. Though he’s done it everyday for a month, he’s still not exactly sure if he’s doing it right. 

“You’re fine, don’t worry. It comes naturally. Just make sure you’re supporting his head.” Sue walks up the stairs ahead of them to her bedroom, Michael follows her in. He watches as she sits on the bed for a moment, then lays on her side. She wheezes another cough, violent and obviously painful. Michael walks over and covers her with the blanket. She still visibly trembles. 

“Do you need another blanket?” Michael’s brow furrows. 

“No, no.” She insists. 

“I’m sure you’ll feel better soon.” Michael pulls his chair up to the bed.

“No.” She shakes her head and looks up at him. 

“You will, for me and for Gavin.” Michael smiles. Sue’s bright green eyes look almost apologetic, as if she knew she wasn’t going to be around much longer. Like she welcomed death but it saddens her to leave the two of them behind. Michael reads the look clearly. “Don’t look like that, please. You will be fine. You will.” Michael says more so to himself than to her. Sue reaches up a cold frail hand and holds Michael’s hand. She watches Michael hold her baby. A gentle smile graces her face as Gavin nestles closer into Michael’s chest. 

“You two look so well together. He will always be yours, Michael.” She closes her eyes and soon she drifts off to sleep. Michael watches as her chest rises and falls for a few minutes. He rises, holding Gavin still. He puts the baby in his bedside-crib. Once he is settled, Michael kicks off his shoes and crawls into bed next to Sue forming the big spoon behind her. “I love you, Michael.” She whispers, holding his hand on the arm that’s wrapped around her. 

“I love you.” He murmurs to his best friend, the love of his life. 

In the morning he wakes up to the room full of gentle cleansing sunlight. He looks straight ahead into Sue’s golden locks. It seems as though she’s got her vibrancy back, her hair full of shine and her skin smooth and taught. “Sue.” Michael says as he yawns, shaking her gently. “Sue…” He rocks her again. Michael bolts into a seated position. “Sue? Sue? Susie? Susan!” He shakes her harder. “Wake up! Wake up!” He begins screaming as he rolls her onto her back. He looks at her face. She has a tiny smile. “IT’S NOT FUNNY!” He yells. She doesn’t speak, move, anything. “Sue?” Michael croaked, defeated. She wasn’t joking, she wouldn’t joke like that anyway. “Sue.” Michael whispers and his legs shake as he rises from the bed. Michael wasn’t much for religion, he didn’t believe in ghosts. One thing he did know is that the room was full of golden sunshine because of Sue. Because she wanted him to see something beautiful when he woke up because she always tried to remind him that death was not an ugly thing, nor something scary. It wasn’t the end, that’s what the light meant. Michael felt oddly calm, like his emotions were too intense to come out of him. 

He took his cellphone from his pocket and dialed Geoff’s number. 

“Dude, it’s fucking early as dicks.” The older man groaned into his phone. 

“Sue is dead.” Michael said, but his words didn’t sound real even to him. 

“What?” Geoff asks, not really hearing him correctly, or so he thought.

“I woke up next to her, she was dead.” 

“Michael, oh my god. I’m so sorry! Are you ok?” Geoff asks. “Are you at her house? What did the cops do?! Do you need me to come there?” Geoff sounded panicked. Michael could hear Griffon grumbling next to him groggily, asking Geoff what’d happened. “Susan died.” Geoff reported, Griffon gasped. 

“I didn’t call any cops. I called you first.” Michael was in a state of utter shock. 

“Michael, I’m going to be there in 15 minutes. Stay on the phone with me, ok? Stay on the line, I’m going to call the police.” Geoff hustled, pulling on the first clothes he could fine and running out the door to head to Susan’s home. 

“The sun is so beautiful. **Today will be a good day**.” Michael responded before setting the phone down on the nightstand, setting it to speaker phone so he could still hear Geoff. He walked into the master bathroom and looked in the mirror, smiling at his face reflection in the glass. Suddenly, he fell to his hands and knees, crawling to the toilet to vomit until nothing more would rise from him. 


End file.
